*Cllr Paul Murphy. Photograph: Eamon Ward
COLAS ROADBRIDGE have come under fire from a Clare councillor.
Recent roadworks from junction 12 of the M18 to the Clareabbey Roundabout were completed by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) in the past two months with a new surface laid down by the Clare contractors, Colas Roadbridge on both sides of the dual carriageway.
Land adjacent to the Skehanagh Roundabout was used as a machinery yard by Colas Roadbridge when the works were taking place, as part of an agreement with Clare County Council.
Speaking at the June meeting of the Council, Cllr Paul Murphy (FG) stated, “they did not leave it as they found it” and that this almost caused the arrival of illegal encampments which have previously set up in Skehanagh.
Clarecastle native Murphy commented, “Illegal encampments have cost Clare County Council a small fortune to clean up and these contractors did not leave it as they found it, on the Friday people scoping the place out but was dealt with by Saturday. It is a joke that Roadbridge could walk away and leave it the way they did”. Clean-up costs at the location previously cost in the region of €50,000 to €60,000.
Speaking to The Clare Echo subsequent to the meeting, Cllr Murphy stated, “the contract they got was worth hundreds of thousands of euros, it was for both sides of the dual carriageway and for a company like that to leave it like they left is disgraceful”.
Chief Executive of the Council, Pat Dowling said “urgent attention” was carried out by local authority staff “to restore it to the way it was” after the area was no longer in use as a machinery yard.
Colas Roadbridge have been approached for comment by The Clare Echo.
Cllr Murphy was also critical of TII for the lack of urgency on improvements to Clareabbey Roundabout. “It has been kicked around for ten to twelve years, it has been on the agenda for long enough,” he stated.
Arup on behalf of TII are currently working on capacity modelling for any proposed changes to the roundabout. Officials in the Council are hopeful their counterparts in TII will progress this project.
